Expect the expected
by othrilis
Summary: PREQUEL TO RULES. A hunting trips goes wrong as broken arms and over enthusiastic scouts put the mission in jepody.
1. Prologue

**Expect the expected**  
  
Disclaimer: not mine...except Nesta, Lirain, Curadaug and Famaris. If you would like to use, please ask first!  
  
Prequel to 'Rules', written to trying and help me write the other.

* * *

Elrond watched as his sons, accompanied by Legolas, rode out of the gate and into the woods beyond.  
  
'Why?' he thought. 'Why did I let them go? Something always happens!'  
  
Slowly he turned and walked back into the Last Homely House, hoping that this time, things would be different.

* * *

sorry its a bit short, but this seemed as good a place as any to stop.

please R&R!


	2. Mean Tree

**Expect the Expected**  
  
Disclaimer: not mine...sniff  
  
I'm sorry about the length, or lack of it, of the last chapter. I just wrote it as an introduction to the story and wasn't sure whether to post it or not.  
  
I hope this one is a bit better. Please review and tell me what you think!

* * *

Estel could never keep up with the elves once they got into the trees. Try as he might, he was always left behind.  
  
Elladan had noticed this and so he was now purposefully keeping behind to make sure Estel didn't get separated from the rest of the group.  
  
Legolas and Elrohir had gone ahead to scout and see how far away the orcs were. Last night they had received word that a band of about 20 orcs was heading towards Imladris and the Twins had immediately volunteered to go.  
  
At first Elrond had been reluctant to let them go, but since it seemed everyone else was out on patrol or on leave, in the end he had consented. Legolas and Estel, as soon as they got wind of this, decided that they too would be going and before Elrond could argue, all 4 had been ready to leave.  
  
Elladan was now listening out for his brothers horn to signal they had found the orcs, Estel was far to busy trying to keep his balance to listen for any horn. This particular tree was being exceptionally unhelpful and seemed intent on throwing him off balance.  
  
It wasn't that the tree had anything against Estel, it was just that these trees could sense if someone was nervous, in the same way as a horse could, and at the moment, Estel was extremely nervous.  
  
It all happened in an instant. One moment Estel was standing on one perfectly stable branch and holding onto another just as strong, the next both branches and the boy had left the tree and were now rushing down to meet the floor.  
  
Estel decided that he didn't want to meet the floor and the moment and would have preferred if it went away and bothered someone else.  
  
The floor, however, had other ideas and carried on rushing up to meet Estel and the falling branches.

* * *

Elladan was listening so intently for his brothers signal that he was completely oblivious to the fact that he had passed Estel completely and that at that moment, his younger brother was falling out of his tree and rushing to meet the floor.  
  
He stop being oblivious to these facts when he heard the Thud Crack 'Ouch!' which signalled that Estel had meeting the floor, despite his wishes to do otherwise.  
  
Quickly he turned and headed back towards these sounds.  
  
When he reached the tree from which, a few moments ago Estel had fallen, he looked down and saw his brother lying on the floor with one branch just above his head and the other covering his right arm.  
  
'ESTEL!' he called.  
  
To his dismay, there was no reply.

* * *

Far ahead, Legolas and Elrohir had no idea what was happening behind them, nor that the youngest member of their party was currently lying, unconscious on the forest floor, with who knows what injures.  
  
All they cared about was finding the orcs before the other and this had turned into a competition.  
  
Currently, Legolas was a little ahead of Elrohir, who was trying his best to catch the elven prince.  
  
'Legolas!' he called. 'Slow down!'  
  
But Legolas just laughed and put on an extra burst of speed and ran out of sight through the trees.

* * *

A little way ahead, a group of orcs was taking position along the edges of a clearing, waiting for the first piece of 'meat' that came along.  
  
Legolas, of course, never noticed this in his attempt to stay ahead of Elrohir and it was only as he entered the clearing did he realise there was something wrong.  
  
Another presence that he hadn't noticed before was near and he mentally kicked himself for not noticing.  
  
A few seconds later, Elrohir joined him and, noticing the look on his friend's face, froze.  
  
'Something's out there' whispered Legolas.  
  
'What?'  
  
Legolas closed his eyes and listened. To his left he heard a slight rustle and restless footsteps.  
  
'Yrch!'  
  
Before he or Elrohir could even draw their weapons, the orcs rushed from the bushes and surrounded them.  
  
Elrohir knew they had little chance of getting out of this without help and so raised his horn to his lips and blew. Hoping against hope that Elladan would hear the urgency in the call.

* * *

please review!


	3. Mean orcs

**Expect the Expected**

Disclaimer: not mine

* * *

'Estel' Elladan called.

To his dismay there was no reply.

Thinking quickly, Elladan grabbed his horn and placed it to his lips. But before he could even draw breath, he heard another call, from an identical horn, echoing through the forest.

Elladan knew the meaning of this call and just hoped his brother would be sensible enough not to attack the orcs without back up.

Knowing that Elrohir would never let the orcs out of his sight once he had found them, Elladan replaced his horn at his side and jumped from the tree to land beside his waking brother.

'Estel' he called softly. 'Can you hear me?'

Estel knew his brother was talking because he could hear the urgency in his voice, but his foggy brain hadn't recovered enough to decipher the words yet.

Instead, Estel decided to try and sit up.

He immediately regretted this decision as shoot pains ran up his right arm and he flopped back to the ground.

Elladan gently removed the branch from his brother's arm, slipped an arm around his shoulders, and froze.

Estel, expecting assistance, tried again to sit, only to be rewarded with no help and a lot more pain in his arm. With a cry a fell back against Elladan.

It was then that Estel also heard the echoes of his older brother's horn, calling through the trees.

Elladan knew something was wrong. His brother, having already sounded the call once, would not hail again unless something was wrong.

Estel cry, however, brought him back to the present situation and he carefully helped his brother into a sitting position and inspected his arm.

As he thought, the wrist was broken and would need setting.

Glancing around him quickly, Elladan found a relatively straight stick and broke it in 2 to use as a splint.

Tearing strips from his cloak, he bound the wrist and helped Estel to his feet.

Not daring to risk the trees again, Elladan and Estel hurried towards the dying echoes of their brother's call.

* * *

As they approached the clearing they heard the sounds of fierce battling and knew that it was not the scouts that had found the orcs, but the orcs that had done the finding.

Thinking only for the safety of his brothers, Elladan pulled Estel after him into the nearest tree.

Once a safe distance up he made sure that Estel was comfortable and not in immediate danger of falling and turned to survey the fight.

He wasn't happy with what he saw.

Elrohir and Legolas were completely surrounded by at least three times as many orcs as they were originally hunting, and were quite clearly fighting for their lives.

With a quickly glance at Estel to check he was safe, Elladan, with a loud cry of 'G_urth gothrim Tel'Quessir!_' through himself into the battle.

* * *

In the middle of the mass of orcs, Elrohir and Legolas knew that help had arrived.

Assured that they now had support from the outside, they began to fight with renewed strength.

A moment later, they heard a second battle cry, a quieter echo of the first.

Distracted, Legolas looked around for Estel, knowing that only he would echo that particular cry.

An orc, taking advantage of this momentary distraction, plunged his sword down towards Legolas' abdomen.

Just before it struck, Legolas turned back to the fight and, seeing an orc sword inches from his stomach twisted out of the way.

Unfortunately he was not fast enough and the blade slice into his side.

With a cry of pain, Legolas dropped his blades and fell to the ground clutching his side.

Elrohir, hearing this cry, took a step back so that he was covering the now unconscious Legolas. He had lost sight of his brothers and only hoped they would reach him in time.

* * *

G_urth gothrim Tel'Quessir – _death to the foes of elves

I'm going camping next week and so won't be able to update, but I'm hoping to return with lots of nice chapters for you!

Cya

Othrilis


	4. Why?

**Expected the Expected**

Hi again! really sorry about the delay, but i only just got back from holiday! Anyway, reviewer responce is at the bottom and now, on with tthe story.

* * *

'Why?' though Elladan, as he fought his way towards his brother. 'Why did you have to attack them?' 

Ducking under one blow, he parried another and cut the heads of 2 orcs before skewering a third.

Suddenly, from behind him, came the sound of an elvish battle cry, called in the voice of his foster brother.

'Why?' thought Elladan, again, turning towards the tree he had left Estel in.

'Why didn't you just stay there?' he thought as he saw the young human fighting his own path through the orcs.

He turned back to the fight in time to see an orcs who had noticed his inattention, loose an arrow aimed directly at his heart.

Fortunately for Elladan, orcs a poor shots and the arrow actually drove straight into his shoulder, yet this was little conciliation for him as this still caused immense pain.

Stumbling slightly, he regained his feet and, stringing his bow, shot an arrow straight back.

This time, the arrow was well aimed and pierced the orcs heart precisely.

Ahead of him, Elladan could see his brother fighting well and could track his progress as he again ought towards them by following the midnight black head.

What worried him was the absence of a certain blonde head that he was sure should be there.

With thought only for the safety of friend and brother, Elladan redoubled his efforts to reach them. Only hoping he was not too late.

* * *

One lone figure stood in the middle of the clearing surrounded by many bodies, and searching, fearfully, for one. 

His companion knelt some way away, tending to a third who had fallen in the fight.

Relieving the last orc of its head, Elladan had turned, expecting to find Estel behind him, or else knelling beside Elrohir, tending to Legolas. Instead all he met was empty air and a lot of dead orcs.

Fearfully he scanned the clearing, not sure what to hope because if Estel was not lying somewhere among the orcs, then he would surely have been taken, he would never leave willingly.

Behind him, he knew Legolas was loosing a lot of blood and may die if this could not be stopped, but for the moment he had to trust Elrohir's healing skills because his only thoughts were for the young human, who had been placed into his care and who, if he were dead, would surely take his foster father and brothers with him, as they had come to love him so much.

Suddenly, from under a pill of orcs, he spotted the glint of a blade.

This caught his attention because orc blades did not glint and also, it was an elvish blade and, even at this distance he could see, he the words _Estel, brother and son_, engraved on it.

Elladan rushed to the rather large pill of orcs and started desperately digging to find his brother and hoping he was still alive.

* * *

It was two weary and slightly muddy elves that eventually began the long journey back towards Imladris. 

Though it had not taken long on the way out, then all four members of the party could walk and were conscious.

Now, however, the two youngest were not conscious, and so not able to walk.

This meant that the twin had to carry them, and they were not too happy about this.

Both Estel's and Legolas' wounds had been tended and were bleeding no longer, but it seemed that both had been poisoned and, Elladan and had kicked himself for this, neither twin had been carrying the right herb to treat the poison.

To make matters worse, it had begun to rain. Gently at first, but this had soon turned into a full on storm, accompanied by thunder, lightening and gale force winds.

Elladan kicked himself again for not even thinking to bring horses with them.

'Why?' he thought as, yet again, he stumbled in the darkness and gasped as his shoulder hit a low hanging branch. He had not told Elrohir about his own wound, prefering to treat it himslef and knowing his brother would only worry.

Elrohir, a little way ahead, did not hear his brother stumble or his gasp of pain, his only thoughts were of reaching Rivendell before it was too late and how his father was going to kill them for letting Estel get injured on his first hunting trip.

Elladan felt dizzy, though he did not know why. Also, his shoulder was throbing horribly, and he was suddenly feeling the waiting of Estel a lot more.

'Why?' he thought, as lighting illuminated the sky and the rain came down with new intencity.

'Why can't the weather be on our side for once?'

* * *

**Reviewer responce:**

**Gozilla: **Thanks! :)

**Anastasia Who:** Thank you. it was rather wet really, but still enjoyable. hope youe liked this chapter!

**DreaminofLorien: **er...sorry? Though if you like him that much then i wouldn't read one of the later chapters of Cuil, not saying anything!

**Mornflower:** Glad you liked it cough more soon!

**Seeing-spots: **Be sad no longer! hehe, hope you enjoyed it.

**Deana:** Sorry! Thank you for your e-mail by the way. I'm really sorry i made you wait so long!

Thank you all! Love you lots and see you soon!

Othrilis


	5. Poison

**Expect the expected.**

"Estel," called Legolas in his delirium. "Estel!"

"Shhhh! Mellonin. It's alright. You're going to be fine." Elrohir tried desperately to calm his friend, fearing his cries would attracted the attention of wolves.

Looking up at the skies, searching for some hint of morning's approach, Elrohir saw, with some relief, that the rain was lessening and the wind easing off.

A small cry from behind made him turn.

Elladan had again stumbled in the dark and this time, could not seem to find the strength to get up.

"Elladan," called Elrohir. "We must hurry!"

Unbeknownst to him, poison was even now coursing through his brother's veins and soon would threaten his life, as well as preventing him from saving his brother.

Slowly and painfully, Elladan gained his feet again and staggered towards Elrohir, who had again begun to walk, thinking only for his friends safety and never realising the Elladan was even injured, let alone poisoned.

* * *

As the storm lifted, morning came, and with it, brought a very welcome sight.

Turning out of the forest onto the road, Elrohir lifted his head and saw before him the gates of Imladris, his home.

They reached out to him, glowing in the sunrise, calling him home.

Up above, he heard the sentry call down for the gates to open and as they swung slowly open he could see his father standing worriedly in the courtyard, staring out towards him, fearing the worst.

'Not unwisely,' thought Elrohir grimly, as he carried the unconscious form of Legolas through the gates.

"Elrohir!" cried Elrond, as soon as he could make out the face before though all his worry.

Then his eyes took in the limp form in his son's arms and he blanched.

Fearing the answer he asked, "Where are your brothers?"

Only now did Elrohir realise that Elladan was not beside him or anywhere remotely near him.

Turning, he searched behind for his twin and, with relief, saw Elladan stumble through the gate.

This relief soon turned to alarm as, no soon had Glorfindel relieved him of his burden, Elladan collapsed to the ground.

"Elladan!" cried two voices as both Elrohir and Elrond started towards the limp figure.

Only then did Elrohir remember the wounded form of Legolas that he still clutched tightly to his chest.

Though he hated to leave his brother, especially as he had just collapsed, he knew he had to get Legolas to the healing wing and turned to follow Glorfindel, who had already rushed inside to take Estel to the healers.

* * *

I'm really sorry! I really meant for it to end in this chapter, but I knew I hadn't posted for ages.

More coming soon, and please check out my bio for a story challange.


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